Teaching Portfolio

No matter someone’s career path or personal goals, they will communicate constantly every day. Communication can be as obvious as saying “hello” to a friend or as subtle as a slight raise of an eyebrow. People are always communicating, and more importantly, people can always improve their ability to communicate with others. According to Vangelisti et al. (1999), shifts in people’s relationships and roles in life lead to “opportunities for learning and modifying communication strategies. . . Thus, systematic instruction and supervised practice yield positive returns at any stage in an individual’s communication development” (p. 9). Because strong communication skills benefit the personal and professional lives of all, communication educators have the unique opportunity to touch the lives of diverse groups of people. By teaching communication, I can help people to better understand those with different backgrounds, to feel confident when presenting ideas to a group, and to effectively share and receive messages. Overall, I am inspired and excited to teach communication because I am helping people to become better coworkers, friends, supervisors, family members, coaches, and more.

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Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment

Classrooms are diverse environments, with students varying greatly in their experiences and the expectations they have for courses. My priority as an instructor is to connect with all students. To do so, I plan to create opportunities for learning that go beyond the classroom. I will encourage students to learn from their past experiences and try new activities to optimize meaningful learning. Through these actions, I plan to illustrate why the study of communication is both necessary and useful for all. As an instructor, I plan to take on various roles: a leader who teaches lessons, a guide who encourages applied learning experiences, and a mentor who inspires lifelong learning. 

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Goals, Methods, and Strategies for Student Learning

In realizing how diverse my classrooms would be, I created the acronym “ACE” to describe my three primary goals for all students who will take my courses. The components of “ACE” are “accomplished,” “caring,” and “educated,” and I aspire to, by the end of each term, have all students in my courses believing these words accurately describe them in relation to the course material being taught. My hope is that even the students who care very little about learning or grades will finish my courses feeling as though they have accomplished meaningful, relevant tasks, care more deeply about the subject material, and have a greater understanding of communication theories and lessons.

Goal 1: “Accomplished” Description

My emphasis on “accomplishing” through applied learning experiences was greatly influenced by the lessons of John Dewey, who “suggested that education should focus on acknowledging human experience, past and present, and on weaving that experience into the educational process” (Dannels, 2015, p. 203). To connect theory and the human experience, I plan to encourage students to draw upon their past as well as create new experiences to connect with theories. This manner of teaching aligns with Shepherd, St. John, and Striphas’ (2006) description of theory. They state, “Theory is a practice. . . [and it] provides ways of interpreting practical knowledge” (p. 42). By connecting theory with personal experiences, students can feel “accomplished” because they will understand how theories connect to their lives.

“Accomplished” Methods and Strategies:

To provide students with opportunities to practice the theories they have learned, I will utilize methods like observations, simulations, presentations, and group projects. I want students to gain self-confidence through classroom interactions rather than merely writing about theories and listening to lectures. I also want to help students gain critical thinking abilities by learning how to respectfully and ethically argue topics based on their research. Overall, I aspire to help students feel “accomplished” by encouraging mastery of subjects through experiential learning.

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Goal 2: “Caring” Description

Some of the most common questions I have heard students ask in the classroom are “Why are we learning this?” “How is this going to help my career?” “When will I ever use this information?” My goal is to encourage students to care about the study of communication by answering these types of questions. To inspire students to “care” about the coursework, I believe I must convey why lessons are meaningful and provide practical means for students to apply communication techniques they have learned.

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“Caring” Methods and Strategies:

To teach students the value of communication studies, I plan to implement activities that demonstrate how communication theories can improve their interactions with others across all aspects of life. For instance, if I were teaching about conflict resolution techniques, I could ask students to analyze a situation they observed at home or at work. The students could use a journal to describe the communication behaviors of all parties involved (e.g. dialogue and gestures). The students could then use theories to study the interactions, discussing how both verbal and nonverbal communication impacted the situation. They could then reflect on what techniques were beneficial and what could be done in future situations to improve the outcomes. By using real-life scenarios, students will likely “care” more about the lessons being taught because they understand how the communication theories can be used to better their lives and the lives of those around them.

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Goal 3: “Educated” Description

Understanding communication theory and how people interact with one another is the foundation for an education in the communication discipline. There are various methods to determine if a student is properly “educated” in communication courses. For example, instructors can use a variety of assessments methods to determine what students have learned and their ability to apply those lessons (Vangelisti et al., 1999). By providing a variety of clear, well-established assessments, communication instructors can gauge students’ understanding of communication theories and their ability to apply lessons through practice.

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“Educated” Methods and Strategies:

To “educate” students, I intend to use a variety of teaching methods like required readings, group work, essays, and presentations. I plan to gauge students’ learning based on their ability to present research accurately and in a professional manner. I will also evaluate students based on their ability to demonstrate subject mastery through experience-based assignments, group work, and discussions. Depending on the type and level of class I am teaching, my assessment criteria may vary. For example, if I were teaching a 100-level speech course, I may expect students to demonstrate their learning by researching a topic, creating a speech outline, and presenting a speech with oral citations. On the other hand, if I were teaching a 400-level mediation course, I may require students to observe mediation sessions at a local courthouse, reflect upon their observations through journals and essays, and take on lead roles as mediators in classroom simulations. Ultimately, the amount and type of research, applied learning experiences, and deliverables will vary depending on what I expect students to learn from a course.

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Overall, my goal as an instructor is to teach students to “ACE” courses by “accomplishing” meaningful tasks, “caring” about the lessons being taught, and becoming more “educated” through their efforts both inside and outside of the classroom. I hope to connect with all students to promote lifelong learning and mastery of subjects through experiences. To do so, I will frequently communicate the importance and relevance of subject matter. I will also be deliberate and clear when creating course requirements. As a whole, I want my classroom to be a positive space where learning can flourish through rich conversations, clear expectations, and meaningful experiences.